Engineers devote much time and effort towards heat energy management in a vehicle engine, such as a diesel engine. Several tractor-trailer components generate extreme heat energy, and the heat must be removed and distributed to ensure optimal functioning and avoid engine and component damage. The redistributed heat can be used beneficially by for example directing the heat to components that require heat to properly function. Thus, engineers design one or more cooling systems that distribute heat that otherwise might damage the engine and various truck components.
Diesel engines are typically cooled with a liquid coolant, such as water with an additive to prevent freezing and corrosion in the engine and cooling system. While the surplus heat must be conducted away from the engine, an efficiently designed coolant system diverts some of the surplus heat to a number of heat sinks, which utilize the heat. For example, in one diesel tractor-trailer vehicle engine system, the coolant is supplied to heat sinks such as a fuel filter heater and a cab heater. Moreover, some tractor-trailer vehicle engine systems have additional heat sources, such as a diesel exhaust fluid injector. Each of these heat sinks or heat sources traditionally is independently interconnected to the engine block of the diesel engine cooling system with a supply and return lines (pipes and/or hoses). Thus, multiple pipe or hose connections are required, and many feet of pipe or hose must be run through the engine compartment of the tractor-trailer.
The use in conventional diesel engine cooling systems of separate cooling systems and plumbing for each thermal component can increase the costs of the system, the weight of the truck, and the maintenance required to replace hoses or pipe on a frequent basis due to wear and tear caused by rubbing, vibration, heat, etc. Fuel economy can be negatively impacted. Further, optimal flow may not be achieved in such a manner, as components optimally require differing amounts of coolant flow for proper functioning. Consequently, improvements in such cooling systems are needed.